Hoop trundlers with built-in illuminating means

ABSTRACT

A TRUNDLER OR PROPELLING DEVICE FOR PROPELLING A CHILD&#39;&#39;S HOOP IS PROVIDED WITH A PASSAGE THROUGH WHICH THE HOOP IS SLIDINGLY RECEIVED AND WITH A BUILT-IN ILLUMINATING ADDITIONAL FEATURE FOR DIVERTING AND AMUSING THE CHILD USER, AND ALSO ACTING AS A WARNING TO THE DRIVERS OF ANY MOTOR VEHICLE APPROACHING A CHILD PLAYING WITH THE HOOP ON A ROADWAY.

Sept. 20, 197] CQPELAND 3,605,333

HOOP TRUNDLERS WITH BUILT-IN ILLUMINATING MEANS Filed Oct. 30, 1968 INVENTOR JAMES D. COPELAND ATTORNEY United States Patent Oifice 3,605,333 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,605,333 HOOP TRUNDLERS WITH BUILT-IN ILLUMINATING MEANS James D. Copeland, 148 Degrassi St., Toronto 8, Ontario, Canada Filed Oct. 30, 1968, Ser. No. 771,833

Int. Cl. A63h 33/02 US. Cl. 46-220 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A trundler or propelling device for propelling a childs hoop is provided with a passage through which the hoop is slidingly received and with a built-in illuminating means, such as a battery-powered lamp, to provide an additional feature for diverting and amusing the child user, and also acting as a warning to the drivers of any motor vehicles approaching a child playing with the hoop on a roadway.

The present invention relates to a novel and improved hoop propeller or trundler for propelling .a hoop along a surface. More particularly, the invention relates to a trundler having a built-in illuminating means.

The trundlin'g of hoops has been a recreational pastime for children for many decades. The increasing urbanization of the countryside and the resulting presence of motor trafiic on roadways near which children may be playing has made hoop-trundling a somewhat hazardous pastime for children who, in their youthful enthusiasm, might pursue a rolling hoop onto a roadway without heed to the danger of approaching trafiic.

This danger has previously been appreciated and several proposals have ben made to provide trundlers or hoop-propelling devices which slidingly but captively engaged a hoop to prevent the escape of the hoop. Such devices, although going a long way to reducing the aforementioned danger of collisions with traffic, have however, removed to some extent the novelty of the game of hoop trundling.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hoop-propelling device or trundler which, while retaining this feature of holding the hoop captive and so preventing its rolling accidentally onto a roadway, provides an additional feature of novelty and amusement.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a trundler having a relatively simple construction and which is particularly adapted to manufacture at relatively low cost from inexpensive thermoplastic materials.

The aforementioned features of novelty and amusement are provided in accordance with the invention by incorporating into a trundler an illuminating means whereby a child might enjoy the novel pleasure of trundling after sunset. In addition, the light from the trundler can serve as a warning to the drivers of motor vehicles that are approaching the area where the child is playing.

In its broadest scope, the invention provides a trundler for propelling a hoop, which trundler comprises a gen erally elongated body having a first end and a second end, said first end being adapted to be held in the hand of a user, a passage being provided through said trundler in proximity to said second end for slidingly receiving a hoop therethrough, and a chamber being provided within said trundler for the purpose of accommodating one or more electrical storage batteries for energizing illuminating means disposed intermediate said first and second ends of said trundler.

In accordance with a preferred feature of the invention, a trundler in accordance therewith has an elongated body which comprises two generally semi-cylindrical members which are preferably moulded from a thermoplastic material, which are pivotally secured together along abutting longitudinal edges and which are provided on their diametrically opposed longitudinal edges with cooperating clasp means adapted releasably to maintain said members with said diametrically opposed longitudinal edges in abutting relationship with each other, said passage for slidingly receiving said hoop being defined by portions of both of said members whereby said hoop may be inserted into said passage when said longitudinal members are pivoted apart.

If desired, a switch means may additionally be incorporated in a trundler in accordance with the invention for the purpose of controlling the actuation of the illuminating means.

The invention will now be described merely by way of illustration with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the use of a trundler in accordance with the invention for propelling a hoop,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the trundler shown in FIG. 1 with parts cut away to reveal the electrical batteries contained therein,

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view along the line 33 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view along the line 44 of FIG. 2 showing the disposition of a hoop within the trundler; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 2 but showing the trundler in its open configuration.

The same legends are used in all the figures of the accompanying drawings for identifying corresponding structural parts.

Referring first to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the trundler indicated generally therein at 10 is used in combination with a hoop 12. When the trundler 10' is held in the hand, as shown, to propel the hoop 12 along a surface and a built-in switch 14 (FIG. 2) is actuated, a beam of light is projected forwardly and downwardly from the trundler 10 generally within the zone bounded by the lines A shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the remaining figures of the drawings, it will be seen that the trundler 10 is made up of two elongated members -16 and 18, each of which has a generally semi-circular axial cross-sectional shape. In the embodiment illustrated, each of these members is moulded from a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene, although other materials can of course be used.

The elongated members 16- and 18 are pivoted together along their abutting elongated edges 20 and 22 respectively by the engagement of longitudinally extending pins 24 integrally formed with member 18 and tongues 26 integrally formed with member 16. The tongues 26 are provided in their transverse direction with an. arcuate configuration to prevent complete separation of the members 16 and 18. When the members 16 and 18 are pivoted to their closed configuration as shown in FIG. 2, these members are releasably retained in this relative disposition by the engagement of an arcuate tongue 28 integrally formed with the member 16 and a projecting lip 30 integrally formed with the member 18.

So as to facilitate comprehension of the invention, the forward end of the trundler 10, referred to in the claim appended hereto as the second end is the left-hand end of the trundler shown in the accompanying drawings. Similarly, the rearward or right-hand end of the trundler 10 shown in the drawings corresponds to the first end referred to in the appended claims.

Further reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings will show that the rearward end of the trundler 10 serves as a hand-hold when the trundler is used to propel the hoop 12. In proximity to the forward end of the trundler 10,

there is provided, as will best be seen by reference to FIGS. 2 to 5, a passage 32 slidingly to receive the hoop 12 as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The passage 32 is transversely defined by curved surfaces 34 and 36 formed in members .16 and 18- respectively. Longitudinally, the passage 32 is defined by a transverse wall 38 in the member 18 and by a generally circular head 40 integrally formed at the forward end of the member 16.

The internal curved \wall 42 extending from the rearward end of the member 16 longitudinally to the transverse wall 38 of the member 18 defines together with the internal curved wall 44 of the member 18 itself a chamber for accommodating electrical storage batteries 46 and 48 and an illuminating means incorporating a light bulb 50.

Although numerous suitable constructions for switchingly transferring electrical power from the batteries 46 and 48 to the bulb 50 are possible within the scope of the invention, this function is served in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings in a manner now to be described.

In the embodiment described, electric current passes from the positive terminal 52 of battery 48 to a resilient metallic contact strip 54 (FIG. held in position within the member 18 by engagement of tongues 56 integrally formed therewith in cooperating recesses 58 provided for this purpose in the member 18. The contact strip 54 also has a forwardly extending tongue 60 maintained by its own resiliency in electrical contact with the centre terminal 62 of the bulb 50. The positive terminal 64 of the battery 46 engages the base of the casing, i.e. the negative terminal, of the battery 48. The base of the casing of battery 46 is engaged by a resilient metal contact 66 having radially outwardly extending tongues 68 seated at their outer extremities behind lips 70 integrally formed with the member 18.

The contact 66 extends radially outwardly to the inner wall 44 of member 18 and then longitudinally forwardly as at 72. At its forward end, the electrically conducting strip '72 is integrally formed with an inwardly and forwardly directed tongue 74 adapted to engage a metallic reflector 76 surrounding the bulb 50 and threadingly engaged therewith in a well known manner. The reflector 76 is held within the trundler by its engagement with lips 78 integrally formed with member 18. It is held in contact with these lips 78 by the resiliency of the tongue 60. A transparent cover 80 may usefully be provided between the reflector 76 and the lips 78 for the purpose of protecting the bulb 50;

Between the tongue 74 and the contact 66, the strip 72 is secured by a rivet 81 to the handpiece 82 of the switch 14 for longitudinal movement in a slot 84 formed in the member 18. When the handpiece is moved forwardly from its rearward or off position as shown in FIG. 3 to its forward or on position, the tongue 74 is moved into electrical contact with the reflector 76-, so completing the circuit through the batteries 46 and 48 to the bulb 50. One advantage of forming the members 16 and 18 from an electrically insulating thermoplastic material is that it eliminates the need for providing insulating separators between these members and the various conducting members such as strip 72. The use of metals in the construction of members 116 and 18 is not, however, precluded but, in such a case, electrically insulating separators would obviously be required.

For use, the trundler 10 is first opened to the position shown in FIG. 5 by manual elevation of the tongue 28 and relative pivoting of the members 16 and 18. Assuming that batteries 46 and 48 and bulb '50 are already in position, the trundler 10 is then inserted over the hoop with the latter passing through the gap 86 (FIG. 5). The members 16 and 18 are then pivoted together and so locked in the manner already described. Actuation of the switch handpiece 82 by sliding it forwardly enables the bulb to be energized and so provides the forwardly and downwardly directed beam of light as shown in FIG. 1.

What I claim is:

1. A trundler for propelling a hoop of rectangular cross section, which trundler comprises a generally elongated body having a first end and a second end, said first end being adapted to be held in the hand of a user, said generally elongated body comprising two generally semi-cylindrical members which are pivotally secured together along abutting longitudinal edges and which the provided on their diametrically opposed longitudinal edges with cooperating clamp means adapted releasably to maintain said members with said diametrically opposed edges in abutting relationship with each other, said generally semi-cylindrical members for the greater portion of their length from said first end being hollow and providing a tubular compartment terminated short of said second end by an inward wall extension on said first semi-cylindrical member and a transverse wall on said second semi-cylindrical member, said first semi-cylindrical member being extended to said second end of said body and capped by a generally circular head, said transverse wall of said second semi-cylindrical member terminating adjacent said capped end of said body and adapted in the closed condition of said body to be capped by said head, the extension of said semi-cylindrical members adjacent said second end of said body being spaced from the other in the closed condition of the device to provide a passage elongated lengthwise of said body for slidably receiving said flat hoop and adapted to retain said hoop against escape during the closed condition of and at generally right angles to said trundler, and illuminating means contained within an opening in said second semi-cylindrical member, whereby light is directed forwardly of and generally parallel to said hoop.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,381,581 8/ 1945 Entringer 46220 2,738,619 3/ 1956' Oquist 46-230 2,829,285 4/ 1958 Steiner et al 46-2-43X 3,116,699 1/ 1964 Liversidge et al 46-243X LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner D. WEINHOLD, In, Assistant Examiner 

